On May 2, 2025, the world celebrates the birth anniversary of legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray, a towering figure in Indian and global cinema. Among the many tributes pouring in, one heartfelt memory shared by director Sujoy Ghosh stands out—not just for its emotional depth but for the lesson it carries.
Recounting a deeply personal story, Sujoy Ghosh revealed how a rejection from Satyajit Ray himself set him on the path to becoming a filmmaker. After completing his university studies in Manchester in 1989, Ghosh, unsure of his career direction, wrote a letter to Ray, expressing his admiration for his storytelling and illustrations, and humbly asking to be mentored even if it meant doing any odd job just to learn how to draw from the master.
To his surprise, Ray replied. Though it was a rejection, that typed letter became Ghosh’s most cherished possession. “It was my very first rejection letter ever — and my most loved, cherished, and prized one,” he writes.
For Ghosh, Ray’s willingness to respond to a stranger marked him as a true hero — not just in cinema, but in character. “Till date he remains one of my greatest heroes of cinema and my only teacher for storytelling.”
A rejection that birthed a storyteller like Sujoy Ghosh, that’s the legacy of Satyajit Ray.
